Turkey passes law banning protests, press conferences and singing in Ankara
The governor's office in the Turkish capital of Ankara has renewed a controversial ban on public demonstrations. Still nominally led by Governor Ergan Topaca even though he recently was forced to resign by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the office announced Thursday that it would extend the ban for another three months after it was first implemented in late September. Raising further concerns about the ruling Justice and Development Party's crackdown on freedoms, the ban goes far beyond restricting just protests, as it includes a prohibition on hunger strikes, sit-ins, concerts and other unauthorized gatherings in the city's public spaces. "Singing songs, singing the national anthem